WTA Open Era & Live Rankings

RANKING RULES SINCE 2024

In futher alignment with the ATP system, the WTA radically changed the system for the first time since 2014. In the new system, 18 and not 16 tournaments are counted, categories truly indicate the maximum points the winning player can score, and the ratios for non-winning players have been modified. There are also modifications at ITF level, and the elimination of Hospitality as a category differentiator.

SYSTEM SPAN: 52-WEEK ROLLING SYSTEM [Tournaments counted for each player drop out of their breakdown 52 weeks after they enter the system]
SYSTEM TYPE: CATEGORY BASED [Tournaments have different point weights according to the type of tournament a player has entered. The higher category, the more points scored]
POINTS: ADDITIVE [Players receive points according to the round they are eliminated in. These points are added and players are ordered according to their total points]
TOURNAMENTS: BEST 18 [Only the best 18 tournaments results can be counted with the WTA Finals being extra.]
MINIMUM COUNT: 3 OR 10 POINTS [Players are ranked only after getting points at 3 tournaments or 10 points at a single tournament.]
TRANSITION: DIRECT [All players were transitioned to Best of 18 from Best of 16 directly on January 1, 2024]

BASE RULES

Players count their best 18 results and form a point total. Players are ordered according to this total. In addition, players are allowed to count the WTA Finals as a 19th result, until the Monday of the start of the next year's edition of the tournament.
In order to be ranked on the WTA rankings, any player must gain points at 3 tournaments or gain 10 points at a single tournament.
All tournaments are counted immediately after they are finished (on the upcoming Monday). Exceptions to this rule are ITF Lower Level tournaments which are counted one week later (ITF W15, ITF W35). Once into the system, tournaments remain counted for 52 weeks.
The rankings are published every Monday of the year. Exception to this rule are the mid-Mondays of tournaments lasting for more than one week: Grand Slams and double-week WTA1000 tournaments.
A commitment player is defined as a player who has finished in the Top 10 at the year end rankings of the previous season.
All players must count all WTA Finals, 4 Grand Slams and 4 WTA 1000 Mandatory tournaments for which they are a direct acceptance on the original acceptance list as well as their other 10 best results from all other tournaments.
If a player has both WTA Finals and WTA Elite Trophy in her rankings, she will count only the tournament that provides her with the best net gain of points, but she may only count one of them.
If the player is not part of the original main draw acceptance list of a mandatory event and decides to not participate before the draw is released, they may count an extra non-Mandatory event.
In weeks in which a player does not have the mandatory 8 events, she is allowed to count extra non-Mandatory events to a total of 18.
Once a player becomes part of the main draw of any of the 8 Mandatory events, either as a qualifier, lucky loser, direct acceptance, special exempt or wild card, that tournament counts for her rankings.

COMMITMENT PLAYER RULES

All Top 10 Commitment players must play in at least 4 WTA 1000 and 2 WTA 500 tournaments during the year. Missing any of their commitment tournaments will result in a 0 point penalty.
All Top 10 Commitment players can play 2 WTA 250 level tournaments (1 for each half of the year), provided they have fulfilled their mandatory commitment. Additionally, if a player has fulfilled her commitment the previous year, she can play an additional 3rd WTA 250 tournament the next year.

AGE REQUIREMENT RULES

Players under the age of 14 may not count any tournaments and cannot obtain a WTA Ranking.
Players between 14 and 15 years of age, may only count 8 ITF Level tournaments, only 3 of which may be at tournaments paying over $60000. Any higher level tournament Wild Card reduces the count.
Players between 15 and 16 years of age, may only count 10 Professional level tournaments, plus the WTA Finals or WTA Elite Trophy if she qualifies. She may also receive 3 Wild Cards into higher level tournaments.
Players between 16 and 17 years of age, may only count 12 Professional level tournaments, plus the WTA Finals or WTA Elite Trophy if she qualifies. She may also receive 4 Wild Cards into any tournaments.
Players between 17 and 18 years of age, may only count 16 Professional level tournaments, plus the WTA Finals or WTA Elite Trophy if she qualifies. She may receive the tour maximum of Wild Cards.
Players over 18 years of age, may count an unlimited number of Professional level tournaments.

TIES

When two or more players have the same number of points, ties shall be broken with the following rules:

Total points from all Grand Slams, WTA 1000 tournaments and WTA Finals, and if still tied, then,
Total points from all WTA Level tournaments (included 125K level) and Grand Slams, and if still tied, then,
The fewest events played (all penalties count as a played tournament), and if still tied, then
The total number of points from the players' best tournament, then, if needed, the second best, and so on.

POINTS

Players are given points according to the round they lose in and the tournament's category.
Players reaching the second or any round of a tournament by drawing a Bye shall receive first round points if they lose in the first round they play in.
Players drawing a Walkover before she has won a match shall receive points from the previous round.
Players who enter a tournament by means of a Wild Card shall receive as many points as any other player accepted into the draw.
The table below shows the point distribution for tournament category, tournament main draw and qualifying draw sizes and round. The colors in this table are the same used inside the Ranking tables from this site on ranking weeks where this system applies.

FINALS>>>	MD		W				F				RR
WTA FINALS	8		+420 (max. 1500)				+330 (max. 1080)				250 for W, 125 for L (max. 750)
WTA ELITE	12		+260 (max. 700)				+200 (max. 440)				120 for W, 40 for L (max. 240)
CATEGORY	MD	QD	W	F	3RD	SF	QF	R16	R32	R64	R128	Q	QR3	QR2	QR1
GRAND SLAM	128	128	2000	1300		780	430	240	130	70	10	40	30	20	2
WTA 1000 MANDATORY	128	64	1000	650		390	215	120	65	35	10	30		20	2
WTA 1000 MANDATORY	64	ANY	1000	650		390	215	120	65	10		30		20	2
WTA 1000	64	48/32	1000	650		390	215	120	65	10		30		20	2
WTA 500	64	ANY	500	325		195	108	60	32	1		25		13	1
WTA 500	32	ANY	500	325		195	108	60	1			25		13	1
WTA 250	32	ANY	250	163		98	54	30	1			18		12	1
WTA 125	32	16	125	81		49	27	15	1			6		4	1
WTA 125	32	8	125	81		49	27	15	1			6			1
ITF W100	64		100	65		39	21	12	7	1		5		3	0
ITF W100	32		100	65		39	21	12	1			5		3	0
ITF W75	64		75	49		29	16	9	5	1		3		2	0
ITF W75	32		75	49		29	16	9	1			3		2	0
ITF W50	64		50	33		20	11	6	3	1		2		1	0
ITF W50	32		50	33		20	11	6	1			2		1	0
ITF W35	64		35	23		14	8	4	2	1		1
ITF W35	32		35	23		14	8	4	0			1
ITF W15	32		15	10		6	3	1	0

UNITED CUP

Points in the United Cup are awarded relative to the ranking of the defeated opponent, ranking of the player receiving the points and the round the tie/match is played in. Ranking is considered from the Monday preceding the tournament.
Follow the table below only in case 18 teams participate, for the values of points granted to players:

OPPONENT>>>	1-10	11-20	21-30	31-50	51-100	101-250	251+
ROUND
F	180	140	120	90	60	40	35
SF	130	105	90	60	40	35	25
QF	80	65	55	40	35	25	20
RR	55	45	40	35	25	20	15
MAXIMUM	500	400	345	260	185	140	110

If none of the matches of a tie are played, no point is awarded for the matches forming part of it.

RANKING RULES SINCE 2024

SYSTEM SPAN: 52-WEEK ROLLING SYSTEM [Tournaments counted for each player drop out of their breakdown 52 weeks after they enter the system]

SYSTEM TYPE: CATEGORY BASED [Tournaments have different point weights according to the type of tournament a player has entered. The higher category, the more points scored]

POINTS: ADDITIVE [Players receive points according to the round they are eliminated in. These points are added and players are ordered according to their total points]

TOURNAMENTS: BEST 18 [Only the best 18 tournaments results can be counted with the WTA Finals being extra.]

MINIMUM COUNT: 3 OR 10 POINTS [Players are ranked only after getting points at 3 tournaments or 10 points at a single tournament.]

TRANSITION: DIRECT [All players were transitioned to Best of 18 from Best of 16 directly on January 1, 2024]

BASE RULES

Players count their best 18 results and form a point total. Players are ordered according to this total. In addition, players are allowed to count the WTA Finals as a 19th result, until the Monday of the start of the next year's edition of the tournament.

In order to be ranked on the WTA rankings, any player must gain points at 3 tournaments or gain 10 points at a single tournament.

All tournaments are counted immediately after they are finished (on the upcoming Monday). Exceptions to this rule are ITF Lower Level tournaments which are counted one week later (ITF W15, ITF W35). Once into the system, tournaments remain counted for 52 weeks.

The rankings are published every Monday of the year. Exception to this rule are the mid-Mondays of tournaments lasting for more than one week: Grand Slams and double-week WTA1000 tournaments.

A commitment player is defined as a player who has finished in the Top 10 at the year end rankings of the previous season.

All players must count all WTA Finals, 4 Grand Slams and 4 WTA 1000 Mandatory tournaments for which they are a direct acceptance on the original acceptance list as well as their other 10 best results from all other tournaments.

If a player has both WTA Finals and WTA Elite Trophy in her rankings, she will count only the tournament that provides her with the best net gain of points, but she may only count one of them.

If the player is not part of the original main draw acceptance list of a mandatory event and decides to not participate before the draw is released, they may count an extra non-Mandatory event.

In weeks in which a player does not have the mandatory 8 events, she is allowed to count extra non-Mandatory events to a total of 18.

Once a player becomes part of the main draw of any of the 8 Mandatory events, either as a qualifier, lucky loser, direct acceptance, special exempt or wild card, that tournament counts for her rankings.

COMMITMENT PLAYER RULES

All Top 10 Commitment players must play in at least 4 WTA 1000 and 2 WTA 500 tournaments during the year. Missing any of their commitment tournaments will result in a 0 point penalty.

All Top 10 Commitment players can play 2 WTA 250 level tournaments (1 for each half of the year), provided they have fulfilled their mandatory commitment. Additionally, if a player has fulfilled her commitment the previous year, she can play an additional 3rd WTA 250 tournament the next year.

AGE REQUIREMENT RULES

Players under the age of 14 may not count any tournaments and cannot obtain a WTA Ranking.

Players between 14 and 15 years of age, may only count 8 ITF Level tournaments, only 3 of which may be at tournaments paying over $60000. Any higher level tournament Wild Card reduces the count.

Players between 15 and 16 years of age, may only count 10 Professional level tournaments, plus the WTA Finals or WTA Elite Trophy if she qualifies. She may also receive 3 Wild Cards into higher level tournaments.

Players between 16 and 17 years of age, may only count 12 Professional level tournaments, plus the WTA Finals or WTA Elite Trophy if she qualifies. She may also receive 4 Wild Cards into any tournaments.

Players between 17 and 18 years of age, may only count 16 Professional level tournaments, plus the WTA Finals or WTA Elite Trophy if she qualifies. She may receive the tour maximum of Wild Cards.

Players over 18 years of age, may count an unlimited number of Professional level tournaments.

TIES

When two or more players have the same number of points, ties shall be broken with the following rules:

Total points from all Grand Slams, WTA 1000 tournaments and WTA Finals, and if still tied, then,

Total points from all WTA Level tournaments (included 125K level) and Grand Slams, and if still tied, then,

The fewest events played (all penalties count as a played tournament), and if still tied, then

The total number of points from the players' best tournament, then, if needed, the second best, and so on.

POINTS

Players are given points according to the round they lose in and the tournament's category.

Players reaching the second or any round of a tournament by drawing a Bye shall receive first round points if they lose in the first round they play in.

Players drawing a Walkover before she has won a match shall receive points from the previous round.

Players who enter a tournament by means of a Wild Card shall receive as many points as any other player accepted into the draw.

The table below shows the point distribution for tournament category, tournament main draw and qualifying draw sizes and round. The colors in this table are the same used inside the Ranking tables from this site on ranking weeks where this system applies.

UNITED CUP

Points in the United Cup are awarded relative to the ranking of the defeated opponent, ranking of the player receiving the points and the round the tie/match is played in. Ranking is considered from the Monday preceding the tournament.

Follow the table below only in case 18 teams participate, for the values of points granted to players:

If none of the matches of a tie are played, no point is awarded for the matches forming part of it.